The DDA Annual Report has been produced for nearly 75 years. Over that time the content has gradually expanded and the format has evolved, but many of the key features have remained unchanged. It seems appropriate to check periodically with DDA members that the report still serves a useful purpose, bearing in mind that it is essentially a factual, retrospective look at the previous year. Here I invite you to comment on the content of the Annual Report and perhaps suggest where changes might be made in the future.
Rather than complete a lengthy questionnaire, simply look through the latest report and ask yourself if the content is useful and/or interesting. If not, what specific changes would you like to see? For example, some opinions that have been expressed by others recently include:
- Remove the forward-looking Events List (because it’s tricky to generate twelve months in advance and often proves erroneous).
- Reduce the peal reports to single line entries (because personal details can be found
on BellBoard and in the Ringing World). - Re-design the Towers Map, preferably in colour
- Remove Sunday service ringing times from the Tower Details (they’re often rather
convoluted and it’s more reliable to check with the Tower Correspondent). - Introduce single line entries for quarter peals rung.
- Provide photographs and brief biographies of the District Ringing Masters so that they are more widely recognised.
Bear in mind that nobody wants a report that is longer than at present, so a suggestion to provide more content needs to be balanced by omissions elsewhere.
Please send me a letter, or text, or phone me with your suggestions if you’re interested to do so.
Carole Hallam (Annual Report Secretary 2017-2019)